Illusions of the Dreamscape
by Epsilon Zeta
Summary: I'm sorry for all the confusion that I may have caused. Now, I'm reposting this fic, regardless of the silent response that I got the first time.


Author's Notes: I've decided to repost this to try to get a better rating...but who cares?  
  
Disclaimers: Cardcaptors belong to CLAMP, I own my interpretation of the Dreamscape (original idea belonged to Rush, another fanfic author out there on the net) and Strider. Holden Caulfield and Phoebe Caulfield belong to J.D. Salinger. I'm only borrowing them so don't sue!  
  
Illusions of the Dreamscape  
  
The new recruit system set up by Crothus creates an illusion of the Dreamscape to a sentient being who feels he or she has no purpose in their life. This way, there would be no regrets when that being is taken in by the Dreamscape. With this new system, the Preservers are given the choice to leave...after several centuries of service. This is the tale of a certain story-telling boy who faces that crossroad.  
  
"This is the boy who exaggerates a lot?" Crothus gave a small smirk. Regardless of the boy's excessive story-telling, he has the rare quality that all Preservers require...the will to preserve innocence. Holden Caulfield had that quality a long time ago. The Dreamscape was able to sense that and recruit him before society attempted to turn him into a 'phony'.   
  
He was extremely grateful for the gift the Dreamscape had bestowed upon him. In return, he started working on the new recruit system with Crothus. After several decades of work, it's finally ready to be tested. 'It would have taken two decades if he didn't stop every hour to check on his sister, Phoebe. Perhaps we should recruit her after our test run on Zachary.'  
  
"Sir, we are ready to begin the run." Crothus held up his hand. "Don't start anything yet. I have to consult with the Four Mirrors." As he started walking away, he pondered about how their former agent would handle this. 'Zachary is the first friend that he had made on that world. Perhaps Li would understand...after all, he knows about the delicate balance that has to be maintained.'   
  
"Strider?" He was startled when he saw the entity observing the Four Mirrors. "If you do plan to go ahead with your plan, you must handle this with absolute care and gentleness." The man took a look at the second mirror which revealed nothing. "So his future is surrounded with doubt. It is up to us to remove that doubt." Strider could still feel Ayame's aura. "Remember to handle this with care. One mistake could mean chaos and Ayame will take full advantage of the confusion in that world."   
  
The bell rang for lunch as students gathered up to meet their friends outside. Zachary grabbed a soccer ball, hoping that at least Li would be available to play. For the past week, some of his friends had stopped playing soccer with him. Apparently, they had found new interests such as girls. At least that's what they said. "Li!! You want to play some soccer?"  
  
The Chinese boy politely declined. "I promised Sakura that I would sit with her at lunch. Maybe another time." He walked off in another direction. Zachary sighed and slumped down on a bench. "Something bothering you?" He looked up into Chelsea's chestnut eyes. "Sort of...the other guys have stopped playing soccer with me and it's really starting to get to me."  
  
She sat down beside him. "Even though they stopped playing soccer with you, it doesn't mean they've stopped being friends with you. You should arrange a get-together session with your friends outside of school or something."  
  
Zachary smiled. "Thanks for the advice...speaking of get-togethers, did you know..." Chelsea placed her hand over his mouth. "Save it for another time." She got up to rejoin Nikki and Rita. Zachary started to walk towards the soccer field to just run with the ball. 'Chelsea, your kindness is as pure as gold. I pray you don't lose that when you get older. If you do lose it, I will help find it again and ensure that it is never lost again.'  
  
When he got there, he was startled to see an image of a beautiful land instead of the soccer field. Children playing without a care in the world. Couples happily enjoying each other's company. 'What is this?' "A choice." The boy turned around to see a figure in white. He couldn't make out the appearance of the figure.  
  
"What choice?" The figure raised its head. "The choice to go to the Dreamscape and preserve everything beautiful in the universe. That beauty is scarce and we must do all that we can to save it." Zachary stared at the image. "At this very moment, you are unsure of your purpose and your future, Zachary. We are here to give you one. You may take all the time you need to make the choice." This was too much for Zachary to handle. He needed to pour it out to someone.  
  
The boy ran back to Chelsea's group. "Chelsea!! I saw something incredible!! There was this figure in white and a beautiful place with children and love..." She sighed. "Is this the time that you thought you saw a weird guy in a black costume with a staff in his hand?"  
  
"This is completely different!!! I'm being offered something beyond humanity. If I take it, I could save lives and other things like that!!!" Chelsea had reached the end of her patience. "Zachary, shut up!!! When you ramble on like this, it's a wonder that your friends hadn't ditched you earlier!!!!" His face turned pale.   
  
"But..." "Don't start!!!" she snapped. "Don't start telling those idiotic stories because nobody is going to listen!!!! Can't you get it through your skull already?!?" Some of the students applauded her. Zachary swallowed the urge to cry and silently headed towards the soccer field.   
  
He saw the image reappear as well as the figure. "Chelsea's kindness has already decayed, hasn't it?" Zachary nodded. "I made a promise to myself to help her get it back. I'm not going to break that promise...send me to the Dreamscape."  
  
"I said to handle the situation delicately, Crothus," growled Strider. The other man shrugged. "This is only a test run anyway. The damage can be repaired." The third mirror began to ripple, revealing an image.   
  
"Looks like I'm going to be the one doing the repairing." With that, the entity vanished through a portal. Crothus looked at the third mirror. The colour drained from his face as he saw Ayame, heading towards that dimension.  
  
"Why did you have to yell at him? You know how sensitive he can be." Chelsea sighed. "I know, Sakura. Do you know where he is? I want to apologize for taking my anger out on him."   
  
She ran off to look for Zachary. Sakura headed back to the table where Li sat. She saw him stiffen as if he were sensing something. "What is it, Li?" He looked at her right in the eye. "It's the Dreamscape. I can feel its presence."  
  
He got up and started to run to the soccer field with Sakura right behind him. "The Dreamscape?! What are you talking about?" The Chinese boy gave a quick reply. "It's a part of my past. I'll tell you about it another time!!"  
  
They were unprepared for the sight that was before them. There was a white figure, Zachary and a vortex leading to the Dreamscape. "Zachary!! What are you doing?!" The boy turned to face Li. "I'm trying to find my purpose in the universe. The Dreamscape is offering me some options to explore."  
  
"How am I supposed to explain this to Chelsea and the others?!?" Li noticed someone stop to behold the sight. "At least you don't have to explain to Chelsea."  
  
Chelsea could only stare in awe at the vortex. She snapped out of her trance and ran to Zachary. "Zachary, what is this?" He smiled warmly. "My destiny." She blinked in confusion. "Destiny?!?"  
  
The boy nodded. "I have to help others find their way out of the darkness. I don't know how long it will take. Years, decades...centuries." Chelsea shook her head in disbelief. "Would you stop talking nonsense already? Class starts in fifteen minutes."   
  
"I'm not going. There is nothing for me here. I have a chance to do something right for myself and for others." His tone became serious. She heard the tone and started to worry. Is this even true? Does Zachary have a chance to help others with this 'Dreamscape'?   
  
"If you're leaving because of me, then I'm sorry. Can I at least give you a reason to stay?" He nodded. Chelsea took his hand. "I...need you here. Others do too. You always make everyone cheerful every time you walk in through the door to the classroom. You crack everyone up with your stories and your pranks. You're a part of a family, here with us."  
  
The vortex started changing from white to black. A sword pierced the heart of the white figure. "What the...?" Ayame quickly activated the Hurricane card, blasting Chelsea right into Sakura and Li. She knocked Zachary out before slinging him over her shoulder and vanishing through the vortex.  
  
"Chelsea's unconscious. At least we don't have to worry about her remembering the Dreamscape. As for Zachary..." A shadow came over the cardcaptors. "As for Zachary, you track him down while I keep things fine here."   
  
"Strider?!" The entity handed Li a card. "Use this to travel in between dimensions. It'll be set to follow Ayame wherever she goes. You can only activate the card when its face is showing. If it's blank, that means a regeneration period."  
  
"Who is this Strider?" Li ignored her and shot another question at the Defender. "What about us and Zachary? Life still has to go on." He pulled out three Clone cards. "Problem solved. Now get going." The Chinese boy grinned. "Strider, you're a saint." Li pulled out his sword and activated the portal. "Who's Strider?" He pushed her into the vortex before leaping into it himself.   
  
Ayame deposited the universal credits to the mechanic. Grunting in satisfaction, he began to prepare the bio-comp system for the unconscious boy that lay on the operating table. "Stay strong, young one. Nxla and Daggen will require your services soon."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
